Petunia plant named &#39;BHTUN44905&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Petunia  plant named ‘BHTUN44905’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; burgundy-colored flowers with green-colored margins; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BHTUN44905’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BHTUN44905’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and uniformly mounding Petunia plants with early and freely flowering habit, unique attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Aug. 2, 2012 in Bonsall, Calif. of a proprietary seedling selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 12PC280-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 12P677-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 20, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 29, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BHTUN44905’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BHTUN44905’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Burgundy-colored flowers with green-colored margins.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than and not as         trailing as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have purple-colored flowers with green-colored margins.         Additionally, the green-colored margins on plants of the new         Petunia are narrower than the green-colored margins on plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have lighter burgundy-colored flowers without green-colored         margins.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of ‘Fort Improburgpic’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,321. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fort Improburgpic’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more outwardly spreading than         and not as upright as plants of ‘Fort Improburgpic’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Fort Improburgpic’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Fort Improburgpic’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Fort Improburgpic’ had dark         purple-colored flowers with white-colored margins.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of ‘Moonlight Eclipse’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Moonlight Eclipse’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1 Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Moonlight Eclipse’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Moonlight Eclipse’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Moonlight Eclipse’ had deep         blue-colored flowers with light green-colored margins.         Additionally, the green-colored margins on plants of the new         Petunia were broader than the light green-colored margins on         plants of ‘Moonlight Eclipse’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BHTUN44905’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BHTUN44905’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 10-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 34° C., night temperatures ranged from 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000. Plants were pinched one time and were 8.5 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘BHTUN44905’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 12PC280-01, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Petunia ×hybrida identified as code number 12P677-01, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days             at temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days             at temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, outwardly spreading and             mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about 14             primary lateral branches with multiple secondary lateral             branches developing per plant; dense and bushy appearance;             pinching enhances development of lateral branches; vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             Initially upright then outwardly spreading. Texture:             Pubescent, minute. Luster: Matte. Color: Close to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after             flowers develop; leaves simple.         -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical to spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute to rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,             close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent, minute. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary salverform             flowers; flowers face mostly upward to outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about ten flower buds and open flowers             per lateral branch and more than 150 flowers developing per             plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long             flowering period, plants flower from early spring until             frost in the autumn, flowering continuous during this             period; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about             six weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days;             flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Oblong, elongate. Color: Close to 187A; towards the             apex, close to 144A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.6 cm.         -   Throat diameter, distal.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 3 cm.         -   Tube diameter, proximal.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals fused in a             single salverform whorl. Petal lobe length (from throat):             About 1.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.6 cm. Petal lobe             shape: Fan-shaped. Petal lobe apex: Broadly acute. Petal             lobe margin: Entire, undulate. Petal lobe texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Petal lobe texture,             lower surface: Pubescent, minute. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent, minute. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 187B to 187C; towards the             margins, close to 144A. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 143B; towards the margins, close to 144A to 144B. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 187A; towards the margins,             close to 146A; venation, close to 187A; color does not fade             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             187A; towards the margins, close to 146A; venation, close to             146B; color does not fade with development. Flower throat             (inside): Close to 187A; venation, close to 187A. Flower             tube (outside): Close to 187A; venation, close to 187A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals fused in a             single star-shaped whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About             9 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color,             upper surface: Close to N137B. Color, lower surface: Close             to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° to 55° from the stem             axis. Texture: Pubescent; minute. Luster: Matte. Color:             Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.4 cm. Filament color: Close to             186D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther             color: Close to 146B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 202B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.7 cm. Style length: About 1.1 cm. Style             color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color:             Close to 146C. Ovary color: Close to 144C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and have been observed to tolerate     rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 3.5° C. to about 43°     C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘BHTUN44905’ as illustrated and described. 